"I guess that's about all, except this. For two weeks I've gone over every afternoon to the saloon and sat there for two or three hours. And the sight and smell of the booze for the first time in my life made me want to vomit."
Dick paused again, trembling visibly and staring at Charley.
"I'm sorry, Dick," she said, her lips stiff, yet quivering. "I'm going to try to care for you again. But I don't know whether I can or not. Every night when I go to bed I see first your face that night all red and bloated and distorted, then Felicia's, the way Roger and I found her. I--I've got lots to forget, Dick."
"God knows you have, Charley. But you're going to give me one more trial, aren't you? Please, Charley!"
"Try if you want to, Dick. I don't seem to care, one way or the other."
Dick's head dropped to his chest. With a little inarticulate cry, Elsa ran across the room and pulling Dick's head over to rest on her soft breast, she kissed him on the forehead.
"I care, Dicky!" she cried. "I care! It's my whole life whether you make good or not."
Dick lifted his agonized face and stared into Elsa's tear wet eyes. A slow, twisted smile touched his lips.
"Oh, Elsa! Oh, Elsa!" he breathed. "I think you've saved my soul alive!" He turned his face against her and Elsa, clasping the gray-touched head to her, looked at the others fiercely.
Roger dropped his hand on Charley's shoulder. "Then look to it that he never hurts Charley again," he said sternly.
There was a silence, broken by Gustav, who came into the kitchen with the milk pail.
"Elsa, make me the pans ready!" he called.
"Coming, Gustav," answered Elsa in her normal voice. "The rest of you sit down to supper. Gustav and I won't be a minute."
"Better wash up, Roger," said Charley. "Dick, your room is ready for you!" and she disappeared into her own bedroom.
When they finally sat down to the belated supper, Roger began at once to tell of the crop conditions and of the call on old Rabbit Tail.
"Let's see, this is Friday and he promises the gang here on Monday. I think we'd better get busy to-morrow and make the drill connections on the old Lemon. What do you think of the whole scheme, Dick?"
"Perfect if my engine works," said Roger. "But even if it doesn't, you'll still have the old Lemon and a real well. So I'll have done you no harm."